Dispensing device



July 12, 1938.

E. LATOCHA DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 27; 1936 005; LATOCHA INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING DEVICEEugene Latocha, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 27, 1936, Serial No.87,653

1 Claim.

My invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing measured quantitiesof sugar or other such commodities, and particularly to a device whichcan be used in restaurants, homes, lunch stands, etc., for theconvenience of persons needing a small quantity of sugar in theirbeverages when such beverages are served in cups, glasses or othercontainers.

The object of my invention is not only to dispense such a measuredquantity of sugar or other commodities, but to provide an apparatus thatwill have:

1. A positive action that will force out a given quantity of a givencommodity.

2. That will be free from the danger of clogging by the adhesion ofsugar or other commodities to the dispensing mechanism.

3. That will afford an easy access to the dispensing mechanism forcleaning or adjustment.

4. That will be semi-automatic in operation, that is, one which may beoperated wholly by one hand of the person using it while the other handof such person may be otherwise engaged, as in carrying a tray withfood.

In addition, to accommodate individual requirements of different personsas to the quantity of the commodity needed, I provide means fordispensing two different quantities of said commodity, each quantitybeing dispensed by a separately and independently acting mechanism,contained in one and the same apparatus.

The apparatus may be made of difi'erent materials, such as glass, metal,porcelain, bakelite, etc., transparent glass being preferable, as italfords a view of the contents of the container, and it may be made indifferent shapes and forms. It is obvious that the mechanism may also bemodified and changed without materially departing from the ideadisclosed by me. My invention, therefore, is not restricted to thespecific form disclosed in the accompanying drawing, but embraces allforms embodying the principle disclosed in said drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the entire apparatus, provided with meansfor dispensing a measured quantity of a given commodity.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus containing two separatedispensing means for dispensing two different predetermined quantitiesof a given commodity.

Fig. 3 shows a semi-automatic apparatus, being a modification of thedevice shown in Fig. l.

I shall now proceed with the detailed description of the apparatus withreference to the said drawing, in which similar numerals refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

The apparatus consists of a vaselike container H), a platform supportingsaid vaselike container, with the dispensing mechanism inside thereof,said platform being in turn supported by legs |2. Centrally from saidplatform through an opening in the bottom of the container, l0, rises acylinder 3, preferably made of metal, open at the base, of a diametersubstantially larger at the base through approximately one-third of itslength and sloping into a uniformly narrower tube 3|, in its upperportion and two parts being separated by a centrally pierced wall I4.Within said cylinder l3, hugging its Walls, is a piston |5 occupyingnormally the upper half space of the said cylinder H3. The piston isfirmly seated on the shaft IS, the upper portion of which carries awasher I1 and extends axially through the said tube 3|, over and abovethe top of the container NJ, where it ends in a knob 8. The lower partof the said shaft extends downward from the said piston I5 and isslidingly joined to the guide rail IS on the inner surface of the plate20, hinged at one side 2| to the other side of the platform H, andcloses a substantially circular opening in thesaid platform of adiameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the inner sectionof the cylinder l3. At the opposite side to the hinge 2|, the plate 20is held tightly against the lip 30. The lower half of the wall of thecylinder l3, between the base of the piston l5 and the level of theplatform II is provided with slots 22 to admit free flow of thecommodity in the container into the inside of the said cylinder, underthe force of its own gravity. For the purpose of dispensing apredetermined quantity of a given commodity, this part of the cylinderbetween the level of the platform II and the base of the piston l5 maybe called a measuring chamber. Said piston I5 is normally held up abovethe line of the said slots 22 by the tension of the spring 23 containedin the tube 3|, between the separating wall M and the washer H on shaftIS. The wall of the piston is high enough to block the slots 22 when thebase of said piston has been depressed to the bottom of the dispensingchamber.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the device in Fig. 1, in that it providestwo dispensing mechanisms, acting similarly and independently, butdiffers as to the respective capacity of the dispensing chambers and thediameter of pistons therein, so that one has substantially twice thecapacity of the other. The closing plates at the bottom of thedispensing chambers both close upon the common lip 30.

In the dispensing apparatus of the semi-automatic type shown in Fig. 3,the closing plate 20 is provided with a lever 24, extending at an anglefrom' the said plate downward. The function of the lever is to serve asa means of opening downward said plate and to afiord an outlet for thecontents of the measuring chamber, that is, the slotted part of thecylinder l3. The plate and the lever in the open position are shown by24'.

The container in type shown in Fig. 1 carries a cover 25 made of metalor other suitable material, and corresponds in outline to the outline ofthe mouth of the container, said cover being seated on the collar 26 ofthe container [0. A part of said cover, substantially semi-circular 21,is connected to the larger section by a hinge 2B, and affords access tothe inside of the container. The cover for the type of the dispensingapparatus, shown in Fig. 3, is made in one piece.

The mode of operation of the dispensing apparatus is as follows:

When the container I8 is filled with sugar or other commodity suitablefor dispensing, a quantity of said commodity will, under the force ofits own gravity, flow through slots 22 into the interior of themeasuring chamber, that is, the lower section of cylinder l3 below thebase of the piston I5, and will rest there upon plate 28. The quantitythat will find its way into the said cylinder may be predetermined inamount to a teaspoonful, a plurality of it, or to a fraction thereof,said quantity depending upon the diameter of the cylinder N3, thedistance between the base of the piston and the plate 28, the width andheight of the slots 22 and the ease with which a given commodity willflow into the said space inside the cylinder. All those factors may beeasily ascertained by calculation or by trial. It is, however, observedthat no exact accuracy in measuring is claimed and that in actual usethe quantities dispensed at different times by the said apparatus maysomewhat vary.

Normally, the piston I5 is positioned above the slots 22. When depressedfrom its normal position above said slots to the bottom of the cylinderl3, it will force out any commodity contained in the slotted part of thesaid cylinder, while the plate 20, actuated by the lower part of theshaft It, will be opened down and assume an inclined position, as shownin dotted lines 20,

allowing the commodity so forced out from the cylinder to slide downupon said incline. As a rule, some suitable receptacle, such as a cup30, will be placed under said dispensing apparatus and receive themeasured quantity of the com- 7 modity.

When the pressure upon the knob is released, as when the personoperating said receptacle removes his or her hand from the knob orceases to exert pressure upon it, the tension of the spring 23, actingon the washer l1 upon the shaft l6, will cause the piston I5 to rise andto resume its normal position above the line of the slots 22, whenanother quantity of a commodity, under the influence of its gravity,will flow into the slotted section of the cylinder, and the operationforcing it out by the action of the piston may be repeated.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 differs in this respectfrom the operation of the types shown in Figs. 1 and 2, that it is notnecessary to install any knob on top of the apparatus in order todepress the piston. The lowering of the piston in the apparatus shown inFig. 3 may be accomplished by means of a lever 24, attached to the outerside of the plate 20. The person operating the device may press the sideof the lever by means of a cup or other receptacle held in his or herhand, when the pressure thus exerted will serve to open downward thehinged plate 29. The plate, being connected to the piston 85 by means ofthe shaft I6, will lower said piston to the bottom of the cylinder [3,thus forcing out of the slotted portion of the cylinder any commoditythat may be therein. The commodity so forced out will slide upon theinclined plate 20 into the cup below.

What I claim, therefore, is:

A container, a pedestal support therefor, a tubular chamber ofpredetermined capacity affixed to the bottom of the container over anopening therein, the access to the chamber being at right angle to thelevel of said bottom, and the diameter of the opening beingsubstantially equal to the diameter of the chamber, slotted means in thewall of the chamber to admit free flow of contents into said chamber, apiston within said chamber in close contact with the walls thereof, anextension of said chamber within said container, a spring inclosedwithin said extension for yieldingly supporting said piston above theline of slots, a hinged door closing the chamber from the bottom, meansconnecting said door with the piston and lever means extending downwardfrom the door to actuate said door and piston.

EUGENE LATOCHA.

